Founders Cerise - Founders Brewing Company

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

What's amazing is this isn't a lambic, tart cherries carry the flavor. Appearance is like ruby red grapefruit juice with a light pink tinted head, fine bubbly carbonation forms evenly with lacing down the sides of my glass. Aromatics offer up tart cherries more so the peels bringing alcohol and sweetness together along with the smell of evident grain infused within potent tart cherries. Flavor is excellent it lands some where between a sour ale and some cherry flavor jam. Reluctantly sweet and sour is thrown my way, but in the mix I find cherry peels carrying some booziness and some light cereal grains blending so well with the juices of mother nature. What an excellent blend touch of vinegar like acidity in the lightest vinegarette imaginable. Sweet syrupy layers of cherry sweetness quickly fade to dry tartness excellent creation very interesting like cherry cider. Great stuff I remember Rubaeus, right up there with that fruit ale. Founders doesn't offend I detect real fruit with a balanced profile mouthfeel is light at times with a reduced simple syrup border at times. Carbonation is perfect that's where everything carries out so well, quite the experience here. Girls will dig it and beergeeks will try and figure out how they did it. Drinkability is nice I don't get tired of the tartness or the cherry sweetness a great yin and yang offered up in a glass this one is good for your chee.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2009 22:33:15 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours pinkish red. Pink head. Nose is bland. Cherry and one-dimensional. Flavor is cherry, and it is so-so. Too much fruit juice, not enough beer. Feel is thin on liquid and the carbonation is fairly vibrant. I don't dig this. Too much fruity and not enough beerness.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2009 02:30:33 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a pinkish color out of the bottle with good carbonation but once it settled it was deep cranberry color. Nose is all cherries. Very sweet and sugary cherries. Taste is more of the same. Very sweet, ripe cherries. Very tart on taste and mouthfeel. One will be enough to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 14:24:56 | More by barleywinefiend

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Rosy orange color. Nearly clear. Moderate head but it leaves some spotty lace.

Sour strawberry. Smells a bit like a milkshake. Strong sweetness, raw sugar?

Sour cherry pie without the chew. Definitely a dessert beer; would go well with cheese. Good body with light carbonation. Sour-sweet aftertaste that is lip-smackingly long.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 00:48:20 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to mikereaser for this one.

Pours a nice hazy reddish color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy off-white head, with some sticky lacing to follow. The nose is malty, very slight yeast note, cherries. The taste is malty, with some yeast note, sour, cherries/raspberries. Medium body. Drinkable, not a bad brew, glad to have had a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2009 01:57:44 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

(Served in a large flute)

A- This beer pours a cranberry red clear body with a gentle carbonation of tiny bubbles and a thin bubbly wisp of white head.

S- The clean soft fruity cherry note has a light sweet honey note that grows as the beer warms. There is a cherry jam aroma that finishes the sniff as the beer warms.

T- The bright but no tart taste of cherries is just like drinking cherry juice with a slight cherry tart pucker in the finish. This turns to a soft pomegranate like bite in the finish.

M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a little fizz that keeps the finish crisp.

D- I like cherries and I like beer but this is nothing but cherry juice with some fizz. I'm amazed that they could brew this with out any beer flavor. I would like some malt or hops or yeasty flavors to support the cherry flavor a little bit.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2009 20:53:21 | More by rhoadsrage

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Pours a clear rose, with a 1/2 finger of tight pinkish-white head. Retains with a thin, yet foamy look, that leaves back some great looking thick lacing that COATS the sides of the glass. The aroma is straight up tart cherry juice that is mixed in with sugary bread and some really spicy and floral hop character. This mix actually gives this a bit of a spicy and fruity cookie feel. This isn't quite full in the nose but what's there is fairly vibrant.

The taste is pretty much exactly the same as the aroma but a little more robust. A flush of juicy tart cherries that's backed by a sugary doughy sweetness and some moderately assertive spicy hop bitterness. Finishes with some residual fruity sweetness and spice. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a relatively prickly feel to the carbonation that then mellows out towards the back of the swallow. The sharpness up front really helps the spicy hops pop. This actually drinks pretty good for the size, as I didn't really pick up a whole lot of beef in the body.

All around pleasant new fruit beer here from Founders. I dug the authenic taste of the cherries and this was definitely a steady sipper at 6.5% ABV. I think this one's at least worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2009 16:51:29 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle picked up in Grand Rapids.

Pours a hazy ruby red, really neat fruity colour, almost grapefruit like, thick slightly off white head forms, slowly drops to a thin layer and ring around the glass, nice chunks of lace stick. Smell is nice, cherry juice, straw, lightly funky, barnyard and grass, fresh fruit, light cinnamon spiciness, earthy, pretty neat. Taste is similar, very sweet though, caramel and sugar, cherry juice, cinnamon, earthy, fresh fruit salad, more sugar, honey, lightly tart in the finish. Mouthfeel is light bodied with high carbonation. A little too sweet, kind of like BG Belgian Red without the complexity.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2009 02:29:54 | More by Viggo

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.08/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Beer comes across like a little less cerise in the appearance versus just like a normal beer, sure there are some running pink highlights through it, and some pinkish white head. Overall, its still pretty. Aroma, eh, more like some cherry kids drink.

The taste is much the same, far from authentic quality cherries here, but its not sugared up water either, there's a decent malt aspect to it, and even minimal hops, but for a Founders product, its pretty disappointing to have to say its unqualified enough and results in an average rating. Mouthfeel, the carbonation is there, but there was nothing heavy taste or flavor wise, so I'm still kind of confounded. Ultimately, this beer neither delivers on the potential of cherries. It doesn't have the awesome cherry flavor of something like New Glarus, and lacks the tartness of some of the more sour cherry beers (Cascade, Allagash, belgians etc. . . ).

So who is this beer for? I dunno. Can't figure that market out. Its not a bad beer, but its far from even average in the Founders lineup.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 16:12:17 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +20%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

First had: on tap at Tavern 17, Philly, PA

Love this beer!

A great cherry beer. Not strong and syrupy like a kriek, but instead a simple fruit beer, light and smooth, with just the right amount of cherry in there. Pours slightly hazy, orange-brown with a nice white head. Cherries in the nose, but not too pronounced, accompanied by light malts and some caramel sugar. Taste of sweet cherries with a tartness following, and a smooth maltiness to finish off, and just a bit of breadiness. Medium-light mouthfeel, and highly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-06-2011 20:39:17 | More by Rifugium

glid02

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle purchased from Bruisin' Ales in Asheville, NC.

Pours a hazy orange-red color with a half-finger light red head. The head dissipates into a wispy layer on top leaving light lacing.

Smells of slightly tart and mildly sweet cherries with just a hint of malt aromas peeking through. As the beer warms the cherry aromas take over even more than they already had.

Tastes similar to how it smells. The cherry flavors are a bit darker but the same light tartness is still there. Ending is a bit on the sweet side and lingers for a small while.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a decent thickness with solid carbonation.

Drinkability is alright. I didn't have a problem finishing the bottle but I'm not sure about another.

Overall this beer is what it is. A solid cherry beer. Worth a shot if you're in the mood.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 02:53:52 | More by glid02

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fairly clear, bit of haze, with a definite red hue. Fine whitish bubbles formed a thin ring and a few remained on the surface of the beer, producing some short-lived spotty lacing between sips. Mild aroma, floral hops were up front with a subtle fruity character. Yeah, there some cherry there, but also a bit of earthy berry. Certainly balanced towards sweetness, bitterness was light and really only noticeable up front. Sour cherries and sugar/caramel became prominent mid-palate and sweetness increased into the finish. There was a hint of crackery malt and some tartness towards the end. Medium bodied with carbonation slightly less than average, a bit viscous. Not bad overall. The cherry flavour had a bit of a medicinal quality to it as the beer warmed, but the malt kept it closer to cherry pie territory.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 00:43:04 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cerise may be made with cherries but it looks just like grapefruit juice, with a little extra rose blush. It is a very pretty colour which, despite its soft pinkish hues, is dense enough to obstruct most light from passing through it. Instead, it absorbs the light and its unusual pastel-like tone illuminates brilliantly. Its surface is skirted by a white shoestring; more head would have been appreciated but I'm so distracted by the colour that I hardly notice.

I'm finding this fruit beer to smell a little more like beer than fruit. Toasty notes of pale malts were first to be remarked; tart cherries came only later. More fruit would have been welcomed, as it stands now there isn't much to sniff at, although I do take pleasure in knowing that the beer that awaits drinking will not be loaded up with synthetic juices or syrups and thus unlikely to be cloyingly sweet.

Although it actually is quite sweet after all - but in a very natural, sugary way. Whether it's the yeast that have yet to eat their way up to the 6.5% alcohol (it certainly doesn't seem that strong) or it is simply a natural product of the fruit, who knows? I can say it adds a redeeming mouthfeel to a beer that otherwise would have little else to offer the palate.

Cerise is an odd beer to describe because it doesn't fit the molds of other fruit beers. It is not intensely sweetened and thus in no way resembles a cocktail or alco-pop cooler; it is unlikely to appeal to those who seek that kind of artificial gratification. The carbonation is perfect but what takes me is that the nutty, pithy taste that emerges alongside the cherry skins (only after the air has a chance to get at it) is so genuinely authentic. It's a rare find.

But still, considering cherries were added at five different stages during the beer's production it's a wonder the end result doesn't reflect that more. Like aroma, the flavour also slightly understates the fruity element; that this is meant to be a fruit beer is more evident on the bottle's label than in its contents. I don't wish to caste this as a bad thing, however. A little bit of authentic fruit is much better than a lot of artificial syrup.

Considering the wounded condition of Michigan's economy and the fact that 75% of all the tart cherries sold in the U.S. are grown within a few hours of the brewery, it's a very amicable thing for Founders to switch production from the Rübæus (raspberry) to Cerise. It's a fantastic example of the social responsibility - in the true sense of the word - that microbreweries are capable of providing within a community; I'll gladly support that.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2009 15:23:58 | More by biegaman

Brad007

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a color similar to that of cranberry juice with a very thin head into my glass. Looks great for a cherry beverage?

Either my nose is off or there is no aroma. Just a peek of cherry essence.

Tart, luscious cherries bounce off of my taste buds, leaving sweet traces at the back. The tartness is incredible. Not much else here.

Lingering cherry essence that coats the mouth. Ok, so it's not cough syrup-cherry (which is good) but rather fermented cherry.

Easy to drink and offers something different for the palate. Could be thicker but it's good otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 03:59:24 | More by Brad007

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.88/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a reddish orange with just the slightest head. Still, a pretty beer. Smells of cherry pie filling with a hint of spice, and a tad of maltiness. The taste is of sour cherries, sweet malt, spicy cinnamon, and a hint of almond, probably from cherry pits. Perhaps a little too sweet, but I like the sour cherry flavor, which seems real, not at all artificial tasting. Slightly spicy and relatively crisp in the mouth. Pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2010 01:08:13 | More by Georgiabeer

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my New Belgium Globe Glass

Color is a peach pink mixture. Head is hued light pink. Good lace along with some decent retention. Pretty appealing beer.

Aroma is very light. Tart cherries, but that's all I am getting. It is good, but too light for me.

Taste is of very tart cherries and a mixture of berries. Maybe a slight like leines berrywiesse, but way better in quality and taste. Has some raspberries and strawberries here.

Mouthfeel is very tart. Medium bodied and well carbonated. I really like the sour pucker with this beer.

Overall, I really liked this beer. It was refreshing and nice for a hot summer day. I could easily drink another. I will be getting more of this.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2009 02:31:07 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Husky dulled body of medium crimson orange with a slimmed cherry kool aid pinked bubbly capping. A few thin strings of lacing get stretched across the glass.

Muted aroma of tart earthy cherry and a bit of sweet malt underneath.

Taste has a nice sweetened tang of dulled tart cherry thats semi sharp with a light smack on the lips, then the tongue, but drops off quickly to a light finish that drys just a titch earthy. Tiny touches of cinnamon and brown sugar emerge as it goes along.

Tangy, sweet, nearly medium body with a muted tartness and a second half that's a bit empty but is plenty likeable as it stays just clean and sharp enough as to bend the palate just right into an acceptable tone.

A well balanced and toned down tartened sweet cherry beer that may be a good starter fruit beer for those not quite ready for the big sour brews out there.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2009 00:33:07 | More by tavernjef

ccrida

Oregon

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into my Meantime snifter (thx northyorksammy!), Cerise is pale, orange/pink tinged amber, with a creamy sand colored head that leaves nice foamy lace.

Smell is strong cherries, like cherry pie, nice.

Taste is pretty strong cherry, a bit like cherry pepto though, something about it just not quite working for me. I guess I prefer sour fruit beers, although this is a very solid effort for a style I admittedly don't care for.

Mouthfeel is exceptionally creamy. However, there is an oily, solvent feel, and it is medium bodied.

Drinkability is average. There are some nice aspects, but overall, it's just a bit too much, and a slow sipper for me. One and done for sure, but nevertheless, I'm glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2009 00:46:50 | More by ccrida

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy deep pink color with a light pink head. In the aroma, a small, faint dry to tart cherry. In the taste, sugary to start, and a dry, tart cherry flavor. A smooth and medium to light bodied mouthfeel, with a sugary to tart, dry cherry aftertaste. Good dry to tart cherry flavor, a bit sugar, but not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 16:44:58 | More by OWSLEY069

avalon07

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dull red color and a cloudy consistency. There was no head to speak of, but some OK lacing.

S: The cherries and malt dominated the taste.

T: Surprisingly, the cherries weren't as overwhelming as I would've thought. Had an almost sour quality to it. Somewhat malty. Not as well defined as others of the style.

M: Highly carbonated beer with a slightly slick finish. Light-bodied.

D: I'm not a huge fan of fruit beers, but I figured I'd give this one a shot if Founders made it. It's not bad, and definitely drinkable, but didn't wow me.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 12:57:08 | More by avalon07

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Very rose hue with some watermlon meat highlights. Very quick two finger, bright white head that recedes to nothing right after the pour. The aroma is of soft tart cherries and some ripe granny smith apple juice. The taste is super smooth with just a mild cherry tartness. Very fruity, but not too fruity. Sweet, tart, and juicey on the palate. Great cheery ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2009 17:49:16 | More by scruffwhor

jrallen34

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

I drank this from a 12oz bottle into a goblet.

The beer pours a clear bright pink with little head and lacing.

The aroma is light very sweet, a little bit of cherry, but I wish it was more balaned and provided a little tartness.

The taste is like the aroma, very sweet, cherry flavored, but its somehow just plain and boring. No complexity here at all.

The feel is very bad, worse than water if that's possible.

Drinkability is low.

Overall, this is a horrible fruit beer. It should not be consumed.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 20:41:39 | More by jrallen34

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was happy to share this beer w/ tenderbranson69, thanks for the chance -served chilled in a double walled tumbler.

A - A beautiful red w/ an orange accent lightly hazed from chill w/ a quickly dissipating faint pink head. Bubbles stream lazily up and the lace appears like confetti on the glass.

S - A sweet juice-like cherry scent. The subtle stone fruit essence is there like the scent of liquid cherry pie.

M - The texture is mild and moderately light in body for the strength w/ a gentle malt feel and acid of cherry w/ med light carbonation. The carbonation carries a mild sweetness to the tip of the tongue

T - A slightly creamy sweet malt flavor is quickly enveloped by a tart yet sweet red cherry taste. The flavor has a sweet dry push/pull w/ a tasty malt echo and hint of spice from hops as it finishes w/ more cherry juice as it leaves the teeth feeling softer. The flavor is very natural and has flavor of soda in places. Very tasty and nice balance of sweet and tart cherry w/ malt.

D - Like drinking natural cherry soda, you forget it is beer. It really is one of the best fruit beers out there since it is so light and refreshing and incorporates the fruit so well.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2009 17:08:59 | More by Slatetank

dirtylou

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

on tap, alchemy

cell phone notes

appearance: served in a standard pint - rich pink body with a bright pink foam...kind of emasculating but whatever - i had always wanted to try this

smell: medicinal cherry, sweet malts. i've smelt better in a cherry beer

taste: unfortunately any beer brewed with cherry or raspberry will fall flat against their new glarus foes. this was no different - the flavor profile had some mild tartness but also had a grainy aftertaste. The cherry wasnt overwhelming but didnt taste fresh, rather medicinal. no need to consume this again

mouthfeel: light tartness, light sweetness, medium body

drinkability: good enough

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2009 16:03:54 | More by dirtylou

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.13/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle received in a trade with russpowell. Thanks Russ!

It pours a hazy orange with about a 1 finger head of foam, very good lacing.

Very sweet cherries in the smell, some of the sweet very sugar like.

Lots of cherry sweet in the taste with very mild sour notes, lots of sugary sweetness and a cough syrup kind of taste that takes over after a few sips. Maybe some cinnamon. Weird but not off putting to where I'd say this is disgusting.

Close to full bodied, medium carbonation, and fairly drinkable. An interesting experiment by Founders. Some work really well, some don't.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2011 01:57:54 | More by Bitterbill